Apparatus for inserting goods into hollows for packaging

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for inserting stacks of goods (1), for example sausage slices, into hollow containers (4) for packaging, the interior size of the hollow containers (4) corresponding substantially to the dimensions of the goods, includes grippers (2, 7) some of which (7) remain substantially above the edge of the opening of the hollow containers during the insertion procedure and some of which (2) are insertable slightly in the opening to facilitate depositing the goods in the desired position for packaging. Extension members (5) which grip below the goods for packaging can also be provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus for inserting goods into hollowportions of hollow containers in packaging, the size of the hollowportions being matched to the dimensions of the goods, whereby the goodsare gripped by a plurality of lateral grippers which bear against theperiphery of the goods.

It is known to pack goods, for example pieces of sausage or cheese, inpre-shaped containers having hollow interiors, hereinafter referred toas hollows. The hollows are then closed by a film which is, for example,then welded or sealed to the edge of the hollow. In general, a pluralityof rows of hollows are shaped in a film by a deep-drawing procedure andare then continuously filled and covered by an upper film and closed.Then the individual hollows are separated by cutting. Optionally, thehollows may be evacuated or filled with gas.

If the hollows are sufficiently large to receive the goods, as a rulethe insertion procedure presents no difficulty. The goods for packagingcan for example be held against the corresponding transport apparatus bysuction and moved in this way. However, the application of suction is nouse if the goods are air-permeable, or if stacks are packaged.Particularly with cheese or sausage, but also with biscuits and othergoods, stacks have to be laid in hollows.

The insertion procedure is made even more difficult if the hollows arematched to the outlines of the goods as precisely as possible. Suchprecise matching is desirable in order to save on material as far as thegoods are concerned and also in order to facilitate the evacuation andgas filling procedures. Moreover, an excessively large hollow wouldcreate the impression that the package were only partially filled.

However, if the hollow is matched to the outlines of the goods it isdifficult to mechanize the insertion procedure. As a rule, such goodsare inserted by hand.

German Patent Document No. DE-OS 40 29 359 describes an insertionapparatus for the packaging of stack-shaped goods, in which grippersbear laterally against the goods for packaging and grip below the goodswith hook ends. The goods are laid in the hollows using this apparatus.Once this has happened, the hook ends are rotated or swivelled so thatthe grippers can be retracted.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the generictype described above whereby goods can be successfully inserted intopackaging hollows even if the hollows are matched to the dimensions ofthe goods as precisely as possible and if it is not possible orrecommended to use pneumatic lifting apparatus or similar means.

To achieve this object, the invention provides apparatus for insertinggoods into hollows for packaging, where the hollows have upper edges andare matched in dimensions to the goods. The apparatus comprises aplurality of lateral grippers including gripper members which bearagainst the periphery of the goods. The grippers remain substantiallyabove the edges of the hollows, or reach only slightly into the hollows,during the insertion procedure.

If the hollow is matched optimally to the dimensions of the goods, thereis only negligible space or no utilizable space between the externaldimensions of the goods and the hollow wall. Preferably, the hollow wallis of synthetic material which is in particular deep-drawn. Thismanufacturing procedure leads to a reduction in the wall thickness inthe drawn region of the film. There is thus a considerable risk of thegrippers and the associated apparatus damaging the hollow wall duringthe procedure.

It is precisely in those cases when the hollows are produced bydeep-drawing or a comparable procedure that as a general rule thehollows have conical walls, that is to say the hollows are somewhatwider at the upper edge than at the hollow base.

The invention is based on the realization that it is sufficient for theinsertion apparatus to bring the goods precisely above the hollow.However, it is not necessary for the insertion apparatus itself topenetrate entirely into the hollow. If the insertion apparatus releasesthe goods in this position, the goods will enter the hollow and itbecomes possible to make the dimensions of the hollow and of the goodslargely correspond to one another.

It is even possible for the tips of the grippers to extend slightly intothe hollow, for example utilizing the space provided by the conicalshape of the hollow.

Insertion can be effected for example by the grippers releasing thegoods for packaging so that they fall into the hollow. However, it isalso possible to use ejectors which convey the goods into the hollow.

A further advantage of the invention is that the insertion procedure cantake place more rapidly than in cases where the insertion apparatusenters the hollow entirely with the goods and has to withdraw againafter release.

The invention can be used in particular for stacked goods. However, itcan also be used for single-piece goods.

The invention further provides that extension pieces be provided on thegrippers to grip under the goods, the extension pieces remaining abovethe hollow during the insertion procedure. The fact that the extensionpieces remain above the hollow has the significant advantage that thereis sufficient space available for the elements connecting theseextension pieces to the grippers or allowing them to cooperate with thegrippers. This makes a stable construction possible, which is in turn aprerequisite for a high working speed.

In particular, the invention provides that the extension pieces bebendable. The extension pieces can also be constructed for example to beresilient.

Such a construction is recommended if an ejector is provided whichstrips the goods from the grippers. In this case, the extension piecesare easily deformed and return to the starting position after theejector has retracted without a special mechanism being necessary.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the grippers moveaway from the goods in the depositing position. This accentuates theadvantage of the main feature of the invention.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, arms are providedwhich bear the extension pieces at their end. These arms extendsubstantially parallel to the gripper members, the gripper members andthe arms preferably being driven separately from one another.

It is favorable for the gripper members to have cutouts for theextension pieces borne by the arms. By this means, the gripper memberscan project towards the hollow beyond the extension pieces, and canreach into the hollow by means of the projecting parts. Thus, during theinsertion procedure the goods are still guided to some extent, whichensures that the goods are laid in the hollow in the manner intended,for example in a precise stack, the hollow tightly surrounding thestack.

In another embodiment of the invention, the extension pieces borne bythe arms are arranged below the gripper members.

The invention further provides that the gripper members may be shaped inthe manner of dishes and that the facing edges of the dish-like grippermembers may be provided with rounded ends. In this manner, thepossibility of the goods being damaged when the grippers close isprevented. In this connection, it should be noted that the goods inquestion often have a sensitive surface and are thus subjected to stressduring the insertion procedure.

It is favorable for drive of the gripper members or of the arms to bederived from the ejector, in particular by means of a cam surface on theejector.

As already mentioned, the invention is based essentially on the idea oflaying the goods, especially when these are stacked slices, in hollowswhich are matched in size as optimally as possible to the goods. It hasbeen found that the achievement of this aim is facilitated by operatingin accordance with the process now described.

The process according to the invention preferably, though notnecessarily, uses the apparatus described above. However, the processaccording to the invention can also be used in cases in which thegrippers laterally gripping the stack of goods penetrate entirely intothe hollow during the insertion process.

The process according to the invention is characterized in that thestacks are formed on a convex upwardly curved support and are insertedinto a hollow in the shape so obtained, which is maintained by lateralgrippers. Stacking on a support curved in this way reduces, for examplewith circular slices, the dimensions in plan view. As a result of thecurvature, the external diameter is reduced. In this way space isobtained for the grippers. A further advantage is that, as a result ofthe curved shape of the stack of goods, the stability of the goods isimproved. In many cases, the friction alone between the grippersgripping the outer periphery of the goods is sufficient to hold thegoods securely. If extension pieces which grip under the stack areprovided, these can have small dimensions. The small dimensions in turnalso permit penetration of the grippers into the hollow or release andbackward movement.

Once the stack has been laid in the hollow, it re-adopts its normalshape, that is to say with planar lower and upper surface. The hollow iscompletely filled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an apparatus according to theinvention, in two operating positions;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the essential parts of FIG. 1, some partsbeing omitted for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a modified embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are enlarged cross-sectional views showing aprocess according to the invention;

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are plan views of a detail of the invention; and

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are cross-sectional views of another detail of theinvention, in different operating positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for inserting goods into packaging, theapparatus being secured to a carrier plate 10. This carrier plate 10generally supports a plurality of such apparatus and moves, by means notillustrated in detail, between a position in which the goods or thestack of goods are deposited and the position at which hollows 4 arelocated. The hollows 4 are generally, though not necessarily, shaped ina film by a deep-drawing procedure. For the insertion procedure, thehollows 4 are here fixed for example by suction to a support which alsohas apparatus for precisely positioning the hollows 4. In this manner,it is ensured that when the carrier plate 10 moves the apparatus in eachcase reaches the desired depositing point.

On the left-hand side of FIG. 1 there is shown the position of grippers2 and levers 7 which the latter adopt shortly before depositing a stackof goods 1. The gripper member 2, which is part of a cylindrical dish,as shown in FIG. 2, bears against the outer periphery of the stack 1. Atotal of four grippers 2 are provided which, in the contact positionagainst the stack 1, virtually complete the cylindrical shape.

The grippers 2 in particular also have the task of calibrating thestack. During the stacking procedure, the fact that the individualslices of the stack do not lie precisely on top of one another has to bereckoned with. When the grippers 2 bear against the stack, thesegrippers moving towards one another concentrically, the stack is broughtinto the desired shape.

For each of the individual grippers 2 there is provided in the head part11, which is connected to the carrier plate 10, a pneumatic cylinder 12.These pneumatic cylinders are for example acted upon together and effectthe radial movement with respect to the center axis 35.

In the same way as the grippers 2, the arms 7 are also each movable bymeans of a pneumatic cylinder 13 in the head part 11. The arms 7 carryextension pieces 5 at their lower ends for which cutouts 8 are providedin the lower end of the grippers 2. In the transport position in whichthe stacks are conveyed to above the hollows 4, the extension pieces 5reach slightly below the edges of the stacks 1 and hold them firmly. Insome cases, it is possible to dispense with these extension pieces 5 orthe arms 7, in particular if the friction between the periphery of thestacks 1 and the grippers 2 is sufficient to hold the stacks securely.

Once the position shown in FIG. 1 has been reached, the arms 7 areretracted somewhat by the pneumatic cylinders 13, as shown in thedrawing.

To insert the stacks into the hollows 4 an ejector 6 is provided whichis driven by a further pneumatic cylinder 14 by means of a piston rod25. The ejector 6 presses the stacks downwards. They are released fromthe grippers 2 and are deposited in the hollow 4, as shown on theright-hand side of FIG. 1.

The part 9 at the lower end of the grippers 2 which projects beyond thecutouts 8 can reach into the upper part of the hollow during theinsertion procedure. This is achieved by suitable vertical movement ofthe support plate 10 at the end of the transport movement.

FIG. 2 shows that the arms 7 are narrower than the grippers 2, so thatthe extension pieces 5 provide support for the stack 1 only over part ofthe region acted on by the grippers 2. However, this construction shouldbe understood merely as an example. It is also possible for theextension pieces 5 to extend over the same periphery as the grippers 2.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 essentiallyin that both the grippers 2' and the arms 7' which carry the extensionpieces 5' at the lower end are constructed as levers. The grippers 2'are mounted movably about the pivot 15 and the arms 7' are mountedmovably about the pivot 16. FIG. 3 also shows that the extension pieces5' surround the grippers 2 from below.

The lever-like grippers 2' and the arms 7' are driven, in the embodimentof FIG. 3, by a carriage 17 which is connected to the ejector 6' or isformed integrally therewith. This carriage 17 acts on rollers 18 and 19,the roller 18 being connected to the arm 7 and the roller 19 beingconnected to the gripper 2. The ejector 6 and the carriage 17 are drivenby the piston rod 25. The associated pneumatic cylinder is not shown.

The ejector 6' first maintains a relatively large spacing from the stack1; during movement of the controlled ejector 6' controlled movement ofthe grippers 2 and the levers 7 is also produced by way of the carriage17 and the rollers 18 and 19. In this way, the gripping procedure andthe release movement can be controlled. It can easily be achieved thatat the end of the path of the ejector 6' the grippers 2' release thestack 1, and furthermore that the extension pieces 5' are also retractedat a suitable moment.

Whereas, in the lower part, both rollers 18 and 19 are guided by thepart 20 of the carriage 17, the roller 18 of the arm 7 moves on the part21 of the carriage, whereas the part 22 of the carriage controls theroller 19 of the gripper 2. It is clear that as a result of thesedifferent camming surfaces, which are offset with respect to one anotheron the periphery of the sleeve 23, different movements of the arm 7 andthe gripper 2 can be brought about.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, it is further provided that the bearingpart 24 for the pivot 15 is constructed to be displaceable in thedirection of the central longitudinal axis of piston rod 25. To thisend, a slide part 26 which carries the bearing part 24 is provided. Thisslide part 26 is connected to the piston 27, and the cylinder spaces 28and 29 can be acted upon by way of the lines 30 and 31, so that thebearing part 24 can be pushed back and forth to operate the grippers 2'.In this way, it is possible for the front end of the gripper 2' to reachinto the upper part of the hollow in the same way as in the embodimentof FIG. 1. On the other hand, the apparatus can be adapted to therespective conditions, so that it is also possible to dispense withpenetration of the front end of the gripper 2' if the dimensions of thegoods or of the hollow do not permit this.

FIG. 4 shows a support 32 which has a convex curvature 34. The stack 1of goods lies on this curved surface. The individual slices, e.g.sausage slices 33, are laid directly on the curved surface 34 aftercutting. It will be noted that in the drawing relatively thick slices 33are illustrated. In practice, the slices can also be comparatively thin.

The stack so formed is gripped by the grippers 2, as illustrated in FIG.4. The grippers have, for example, extension pieces 5" which grip belowthe stack. The grippers maintain the curved shape of the stack. In thisway, the stack is brought from the support 32 to a position above thehollow to be filled. In this position, the grippers 2 move, for exampleoutwards, so that the stack is released and can fall into the hollow 4,as illustrated in FIG. 6. Since the stack in this case again adopts theconventional shape of a cylinder section, the diameter of the stack isincreased so that the hollow 4 is completely filled.

The stack can be deposited in the hollow using the ejector 6 (FIG. 5).The ejector can also have a concave shape matched to the convex shape ofthe stack, as illustrated in FIG. 5 by dot-and-dash lines 36.

FIG. 7 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a gripper constructionaccording to the invention. The grippers 2 are in this case shaped likedishes and have a substantially part-cylindrical shape in cross-section.The edges 37 of the grippers 2 facing one another are each provided withrounded ends 38, so that when the grippers 2 are manufactured from, forexample, sheet metal, the edges of the grippers do not damage the goodsbeing packaged.

As FIG. 8 shows, the grippers can be constructed such that they formvirtually a complete cylinder in the closed state. Even if the goods forpackaging are somewhat deformed under the action of the grippers, damageby the edges 37 of the grippers is still prevented.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an embodiment of the lower ends of the arms 7 and ofthe extension pieces 5. By suitable shaping, in particular as a resultof a small dimension in the region 39 of the arms 7 and also a smalldimension of the extension pieces 5 which grip under the goods 1, theextension pieces 5 bend downwards under the action of ejector 6 so thatthe goods 1 can be deposited in the hollow 4. The bent extension pieces5 can in this case also reach slightly into the hollow 4.

In general, the stacks of goods to be packaged are circular in outline.However, this is not necessary for the invention. Goods having differentoutlines can also be packaged.

We claim:
 1. Apparatus for inserting a stack of goods into hollowcontainers for packaging, each of said containers having an upper openend with upper edges and internal dimensions substantially conforming toexternal peripheral dimensions of said goods for receiving said goods inthe hollow interior of each container when in an inserting position,said apparatus comprising:support means; two pairs of circumferentiallyspaced elongated grippers having upper ends movably mounted on saidsupport means and extending therefrom toward said upper open end of oneof said hollow containers, each pair of grippers comprisinga firstgripper having a configuration for engaging against at least part of theexternal periphery of said stack of goods for guiding said stack ofgoods in said inserting position, a lower end on said first gripperinsertable into said upper open end of said one of said hollowcontainers slightly beyond said upper edge thereof in said insertingposition, a second gripper radially outwardly of said first gripper, alower end on said second gripper, a radially inwardly extendingextension on said lower end of said second gripper engageable insupporting relationship under a portion of said stack of goods, saidextension being disposed above said upper open end of said one of saidhollow containers in said inserting position, andan aperture in saidfirst gripper for receiving therethrough said extension on said secondgripper; first drive means mounted on said support means operativelyconnected to said first gripper for moving said first gripper inwardlyfor guiding engagement with said stack of goods in said insertingposition and outwardly for releasing said stack of goods after insertioninto said hollow container; and second drive means mounted on saidsupport means operatively connected to said second gripper for movingsaid second gripper independently of said first gripper inwardly intosupporting engagement of said extension thereon with said stack of goodsand outwardly for releasing said stack of goods in said insertingposition for insertion of said stack of goods into said hollow containerwhen said stack of goods is guided by said first gripper during saidinsertion.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:said extensionon said lower end of said second gripper is bendable to facilitatepartial insertion of said extension thereon into said upper open end ofsaid one of said hollow containers during said insertion of said stackof goods.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and furthercomprising:ejector means mounted on said support means for substantiallyreciprocal movement toward and away from said one of said hollowcontainers for engaging and stripping said stack of goods from saidfirst grippers for insertion of said stack of goods into said hollowcontainer.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:said lowerends of said first grippers project toward said one of said hollowcontainers beyond said extension on said second grippers.
 5. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:said first grippers have asubstantially cylindrically curved cross-sectional configuration withlongitudinal side edges and said side edges are rounded.
 6. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:said first and second drivemeans are disposed radially inwardly of said upper ends of said firstand second grippers, respectively.